Head-on tears family apart

Four people were killed in a head-on crash at Yalboroo, 10km north of Calen, on the Bruce Hwy yesterday. The fifth passenger, an 18-month-old boy, is in Townsville Hospital with critical injuries.Peter Holt

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UPDATE SUNDAY 11AM: The 18-month-old boy who was in Friday's fatal crash at Yalboroo is still in Townsville Hospital in a critical but stable condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.

FRIDAY: A GROUP of motorists ran to the crumpled wreck of a four-wheel-drive ute just moments after a head-on crash with a truck, pulling an 18-month-old boy alive from the tangled mess.

The boy's family, a 41-year-old father, mum, 39, girl, 4, and 17-year-old male driver, were dead in the vehicle at the horror scene near Yalboroo, 10km north of Calen, on the Bruce Hwy.

The little boy is in Townsville Hospital fighting for his life while the injured male truck driver is in Mackay Base Hospital.

A truck driver, who asked not to be named, was one of the group first on scene.

"I was heading north behind the ute. I didn't see the accident but I probably arrived two minutes just after it," the truck driver said.

"There were about half a dozen other car drivers and myself who ran to the scene.

"We disconnected the battery because there was smoke coming out of it.

"We pulled the little boy out who was alive."

Mackay police acting Inspector Steve O'Connell said the five people were believed to all be from the one family.

"It's an absolute tragedy," Insp O'Connell said.

"It was a head-on crash between a dual-cab ute and a rental truck.

"The vehicles were heading in opposite directions.

"Initial inquiries suggest the dual-cab vehicle was heading north towards Proserpine and has travelled onto the incorrect side of the road and collided head-on with the truck."

The baby boy, suffering critical injuries, was airlifted to the Mackay Base Hospital by the RACQ-CQ Rescue helicopter.

A Mackay Base Hospital spokeswoman said he was then airlifted by the Royal Flying Doctor Service to Townsville Hospital in a critical condition about 1.30pm. The driver of the rental truck was also transported to Mackay Base Hospital, but the extent of his injuries was unknown, a police spokesman said.

Both north and southbound traffic was delayed for just over six hours with the lanes reopened just after 4pm. SES crews also assisted with traffic control near Calen.